Before and After picture using Cheetah Eco Friendly Stone Polishing Pad
Marble floor polished with Cheetah pad
Marble Countertop polished with Cheetah pad
Before and After pictures of Polishing stone
Tag: go green
Green Flooring Options for Your Home
With the increased awareness about global warming, people are choosing Environmentally Friendly Product options in every aspect. More and more homeowners are opting for green flooring option for their house. There are many green flooring options available today, which offer homeowners a wide range of options to choose from. They can choose the one which best suits their budget and complements the interior of their home. Installing green flooring options is not only beneficial for the environment but also helps you earn tax benefits and rebates; thus helping in saving substantial amounts of money which offsets the overall installation cost of the green flooring at your home. In addition, you can also gain better financing for your new floor or home.
There are different types of green flooring options available in the market amongst which you can choose as per your budget and preference. Bamboo is a green flooring option which is increasingly gaining popularity amongst several homeowners. This beautifully imitates the look of wooden floor, and is an inexpensive option. It is a highly sustainable and rapidly renewing resource which matures in just three years. Bamboo is also highly resilient and durable which can easily withstand high foot traffic. Since it is moisture resistant, it can be used in any part of your house, including bathroom and kitchen.
Another popular green flooring option is the cork which is becoming a common flooring choice for many homeowners. It is very resilient, hypo-allergenic, inexpensive and easy to install. Since cork gets easily damaged, it cannot be used in areas with high foot traffic. Also, since cork is also not resistant to moisture, it should not be used in bathrooms or areas where risk of exposure to moisture is high. However, because of its cushioning quality it is a great option for kitchen, where it reduces the risk of breakage of crockery on falling. In addition, it offers insulation because of its heat-retaining qualities, which helps in keeping the house warm and saving on electricity bill during the winters. It also helps in reducing noise because of its sound-deadening qualities.
Linoleum is another great flooring option, which many homeowners confuse with vinyl. It is a green flooring option which is made from natural material like resin, wood & cork flour, linseed, jute as well as ecologically responsible pigments. An added advantage is that all the natural material is available in abundance. This natural flooring is soft and highly durable as well as easy to maintain and clean. Linoleum flooring is available in a wide range of vibrant colors which do not fade with time. Other benefits of using linoleum is that it is naturally fire resistant, anti -static, hypo-allergenic, biodegradable, and can be recycled as well.
There are some other green flooring options as well which include sustainable woods, wool carpets, sisal, jute and sea grass amongst many others. With a whole world of choices, you can select the right flooring option which, not only suits your budget, but blends well with your home’s decor.
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Properly maintain your eco friendly flooring
Going the green way and adopting eco friendly products is not enough. When we turn our homes into a green home and use eco friendly materials for our walls and floors it becomes our responsibility to maintain these products as well. Maintaining eco friendly flooring is not such a tedious job as one might think. In fact very traditional methods can be used for cleaning eco friendly flooring. Moreover, many companies have launched floor cleaning and polishing products which are eco friendly in nature and do not contain harmful chemicals.
Hardwood flooring can be cleaned quite effectively by using products like ’Wow hardwood floor cleaners’, which are non-toxic, water based environment friendly floor cleaners, suitable for all types of hardwood and even laminates. These are ready to use products and easily remove stains, dirt, spills, oil, and footprints and even leave a soothing and refreshing scent. Many companies have also come out with eco friendly floor waxes which help to maintain the shine of wood and at the same time do not compromise on health and indoor environment. You can even just sweep cork and bamboo floors everyday or mop occasionally with water.
Cleaning ceramic or glass tiles is also not at all problematic and can be cleaned with a dust mop or vacuum cleaner. There is no need for a floor finish which can contain hazardous chemicals. ‘511 Spray on Grout Sealer’ is an innovative, fast and easy solution which seals tile grout and creates an invisible barrier that protects the tiles from dirt, oil, spills etc. This is a non-toxic, recyclable and transparent product which can be used on ceramic tiles, glass & porcelain tiles, marble, granite & stones and provides a long lasting flooring solution. A better option is to purchase a complete tile and grout care kit from Black Diamond Stone works’, which contains a ‘Grout Sealer’, ‘Ultimate Grout Cleaner’ and a ‘Marble & Tile Cleaner concentrate’. These products are 100% biodegradable, safe and gentle on tiles and are perfect for regular use.
Similar products related to stones and marbles are available which help to maintain the luster, color, longevity and durability of eco friendly stone flooring for years. Though stone floors can be easily washed or mopped, it is always advisable to keep a complete stone care kit at home. The ‘Glaze ‘n’ Seal’ Stone care kit is comprised of a stone cleaner concentrate, stone color enhancer and seal & a stone gloss. All the three products prevent damage to stone floors and can be used on a regular basis. EcoStone offers various stone and tile cleaners, color enhancers and Impregnators which are eco friendly, easy to use and cost effective.
As for recycled carpet or 100% woolen carpet flooring, it requires the same type of maintenance and cleaning as traditional carpet. Regular vacuuming, spot cleaning and deep cleaning is required so that dust or grime does not set in. Green products meant for cleaning eco friendly carpets are also available, though they might be a bit costly.
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How to select the best eco friendly flooring solution
Nowadays, eco-friendly or ‘Green homes’ are gaining a lot of popularity since, apart from being environment friendly they are highly cost effective as well. More and more people are choosing eco friendly products for their daily use, so that there is less pollution and minimal waste. Newly constructed and renovated houses are made with environmentally friendly materials that are non-toxic, recyclable, and safe for the occupants as well as for the ecology. Therefore, in order to have a green home, eco friendly flooring products are the first choice for many builders, home makers and architects. However, it is important to select the appropriate eco friendly flooring solution as there are various options available in the market.
Carpets as a flooring option are the first choice for people living in regions experiencing cold weather almost all the year round. Eco friendly carpets are the ones made from natural fibers with no chemical treatment. These carpets usually have high recycled content, and less toxic adhesives and backing. Recycled rubber is another product which proves to be an ideal eco friendly flooring solution. Rubber floor tiles are tough, durable and easy to clean and maintain. Rubber has numerous ecological benefits and can be used in industrial/public places, places subjected to heavy traffic and even for residential purpose. Rubber flooring absorbs noise, reduces vibration and provides sound insulation.
Hardwood floors have long been a standard choice for many, due to its elegance, affordability, durability, and above all eco friendly characteristics. For hardwood flooring cork is the perfect option since it is derived from the bark of the cork oak tree, which does not harm or kill the tree. Moreover cork flooring is attractive, hypoallergenic, sustainable and even relieves joint strains and foot pains. Bamboo is also considered to be an eco friendly flooring solution, since it is highly sustainable and grows back very fast. Moreover bamboo is water and insect resistant, and since it is a type of grass, it does not harm the environment. Natural linoleum floors are also biodegradable products that are anti-allergen in nature.
Stone floorings are growing in popularity and there are various eco friendly stone flooring solutions available nowadays. Due to its growing demand brands like EcoStone have also come out with excellent stone cleaning and polishing products which are easy to use. Stone is found in abundance and does not incorporate any synthetic elements, which makes it quite environmental friendly. Stone floorings are also water & scratch resistant. Same is the case with tiles, like glass, ceramic etc which are eco friendly as well as durable. In order to maintain the shine and beauty of stones, products like EcoStone’s powerful stone and tiles cleaner should be used regularly. These products also act as deodorizers, are biodegradable and environment friendly. There is also the Rock Star aerosol sprayer which is an excellent non-acidic and non-alkaline solution that helps to improve the shine of natural stone. These products do not have offensive odors and are the perfect solution for removing grime, dust and stains to safeguard natural stone surfaces.
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Eco friendly flooring solutions for your child’s room
Whenever we think of renovating our child’s room, the first thing that comes to our mind is a safe and healthy atmosphere. This implies that everything in your child’s room, from the paint on the walls to the flooring has to be safe. Proper flooring is of utmost importance since children tend to play on the floor most of the time. Therefore eco friendly flooring materials should be the only choice for your child’s room. There are various eco friendly solutions to build a green playroom for your child.
Cork flooring is a very popular choice for kids’ playroom since it has a soft surface and prevents children from getting hurt. Moreover cork is naturally anti-microbial, tough, durable, biodegradable and does not stain easily. Since cork is derived from the bark of the cork oak tree, it can be stripped and removed several times without harming the tree. However, it is always advisable to avoid self-adhesive cork tiles since they may contain toxic chemicals.
For very small infants or toddlers natural woven carpets is an excellent flooring option. These carpets are made by weaving together natural fibers like coir, jute, seagrass or sisal and are extremely soft to touch. Seagrass grows naturally all around the world and helps in insulating houses and also acts as a barrier against sound. Similarly sisal is also a natural fiber and a sustainable resource and is grown without the use of any pesticides or herbicides which makes it highly environment friendly. These products are also appropriate for children prone to allergies or asthmatic attacks and require very little care and maintenance. Wool carpets are again a sustainable and 100% biodegradable choice and have various advantages like durability, fire resistance and are anti-static. Moreover, such carpets use only natural dyes, are not treated with harmful chemicals and are installed without the help of adhesives. All these characteristics make it a complete eco friendly product.
Another truly sustainable eco friendly flooring solution for your child’s room is bamboo. It is a fast-growing grass which can be re-harvested every 5 years and is by far the most abundant and renewable natural resources thus making it a popular flooring choice. Moreover it is extremely hardy, durable and moisture resistant. When we talk of eco friendly flooring solutions for a child’s room, it is necessary to mention rubber flooring. Rubber flooring apart from being an eco friendly flooring solution is extremely safe, durable, soft and appealing. It is stain and slip resistant, has anti-microbial and hypoallergenic properties and has shock absorbent surface; making it an ideal flooring option for your child’s room that is not only safe but cost effective as well.
Last but not the least linoleum flooring is also a safe and eco friendly option for your kid’s room. Linoleum is resistant to fungi and bacterial growth, has hypoallergenic qualities, and is very durable and also scratch and spill resistant. Whatever the option, care should always be taken to provide your child with a green, non-toxic and environmental friendly atmosphere.
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